Practice Question
A nurse is reinforcing teaching with a client diagnosed with major depressive disorder. Which of the following statements made by the client indicates an understanding of the teaching?
Answer Choices:
Correct Answer:
"Depression can cause changes in sleep and appetite."
Rationale:
🌟 Major depressive disorder often includes somatic and neurovegetative symptoms, such as changes in sleep, appetite, energy, and concentration.
🌟 Recognizing that depression affects both mood and physical functioning reflects an accurate understanding of the disorder.
🌟 Clients may experience insomnia or hypersomnia and weight gain or weight loss due to appetite changes, all of which are diagnostic criteria.
🌟 This statement shows the client understands that depression is a medical and psychological condition, not just an emotional experience.
🌟 Such insight supports treatment engagement and helps normalize physical changes as part of the illness process, not personal failure.
Depression will only affect my emotions, not my physical health."
🌟 This statement is inaccurate because depression affects both emotional state and physical health, including sleep, appetite, energy, and psychomotor activity.
🌟 Limiting depression to “emotions only” minimizes the complex interplay between body and mind in mood disorders.
🌟 This misunderstanding may lead the client to overlook important physical symptoms and delay seeking care.
🌟 It also fails to acknowledge that depression can worsen chronic medical conditions, such as diabetes or heart disease.
🌟 Thus, this response shows a lack of understanding and is incorrect.
"I should feel better within the next day or two."
🌟 Most antidepressant medications require several weeks (often 2–4 weeks or more) before significant symptom improvement is seen.
🌟 Expecting rapid improvement within 1–2 days is unrealistic and may lead to frustration, non-adherence, or premature discontinuation of treatment.
🌟 This statement shows the client does not understand the time course of therapeutic response in depression.
🌟 Accurate teaching should include information that symptom relief is gradual, not immediate.
🌟 Therefore, this answer is incorrect because it reflects inaccurate expectations about treatment.
"Depression is similar to feeling sad after a breakup."
🌟 Normal sadness after a stressful life event is different from major depressive disorder, which is more persistent, pervasive, and impairing.
🌟 MDD involves changes in functioning, such as impaired work, self-care, or relationships, and often arises independent of a specific trigger.
🌟 Equating depression with ordinary sadness minimizes its severity and may lead to stigma or delayed treatment.
🌟 This view overlooks key features such as hopelessness, anhedonia, and suicidal ideation, which are not typical of normal sadness.
🌟 Thus, the statement is incorrect and indicates a misconception about depression.
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This question is from LPN Mental Health NSG 2320 Exam which contains 45 questions.
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Question Details
- Category: LPN Nursing Exam(s)
- Subcategory: 💎Examplify-PN
- Domain: 🤦🏼♀️ Mental Health-PN
- Answer Choices: 4